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Rio Grande roundabout throws drivers for a loop

Residents protest the proposal

A proposed roundabout in the Northeast heights has neighbors squaring off against the city.

Rio Grande roundabout throws drivers for a loop

Residents protest the proposal

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Updated: 12:27 AM MDT Sep 28, 2012

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

A proposed roundabout in the Northeast heights has neighbors squaring off against the city.

A public meeting Thursday night drew hundreds of people who wanted to voice their concerns.

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One council member said the project was a done deal, but that may not be the case.

It's a plan that, when it's done, would cost $1.5 million in federal grant money, and some residents said it is going to cause a traffic nightmare.

But City Council member Debbie O'Malley insisted it's necessary for public safety.

"The people who are directly affected by this are folks that live around there, that have had to witness severe accidents, that in some cases have been fatal accidents. It's a concern to these folks," said O'Malley. "I'm absolutely in favor of moving this forward."

Susan Johnson, a concerned resident, said she's been working to make the intersection safer for the past six years after her daughter was almost killed crossing the street.

"My daughter was hit by a car here seven years ago. After that we got together to move forward to find a way to make this a safer intersection," said Johnson.

According to data the city compiled from the institute for highway safety and the federal highway administration, roundabouts result in up to a 90 percent reduction in fatal crashes; and an almost 50 percent reduction in accident involving vehicles and pedestrians.

Still, not all residents living near there are convinced.

"I don't think it's going to make it any safer than it is right now i think they should just catch more speeders," said Daniel Stevens.

Others worried the roundabouts could mean more congestion.

"With all the people living there in the North Valley, you're going to take it down to a two-lane road again?" a resident said.

A city representative said it may take a couple of weeks to resubmit the application for the federal grant -- and one or two months for federal officials to decide whether to approve it.